Sleaford filmmakers release teaser trailer for first feature-length production

David Seymour

Sleaford-based filmmakers have released a teaser trailer for their first feature-length production.

Tin Hat Productions hope to ‘bring back the British war film’ with Our Shining Sword, a tale inspired by Lincolnshire’s Bomber Command.

Here, Andy Burn, of Tin Hat Productions, speaks about the ‘long and exhausting journey’ that has led to this point and what happens next ...

It’s an exciting period for us at Sleaford film company, Tin Hat Productions. In August we completed our largest and most challenging filming block on our first feature film ‘Our Shining Sword’ and we have just released our first teaser trailer on YouTube.

Getting to this point has been a long and exhausting journey. We started building sets at an industrial unit in Culverthorpe back in May. We worked seven-days-a-week for three months solid. In the first week of August, just days before the start of filming, we were still painting walls.

We built and dressed an entire 1940s pub, including the bar and all of the furniture. We built all of the corridors, offices and airmen’s billets for our fictitious RAF airbase (RAF Twelthorpe). It was quite an undertaking.

During filming we had up to 20 cast and crew to cater for. They had to be fed, watered and provided with a bed for the night. Quite a challenge when you live in a four bedroom house already filled with five lumbering adults and two Shih Tzus. My wife, Bridgette, took charge of the catering. She is headteacher at Osbournby Primary School and August was supposed to be her summer holiday. She spent most of it chained to the cooker. She was brilliant!

We had people sleeping everywhere. The living room was a dormitory for actors and a huge tent in the garden served as the crew’s HQ. Our friends and neighbours were fantastic. Particularly Marilyn and Kate Varney, who opened up their homes to complete strangers, accommodating up to six people every night for three weeks. I owe them a Sunday dinner and a few bottles of wine.

We have received incredible support from so many people and organisations locally. I do need to mention Turnbull Building and Plumbing once more for providing all of the materials for the set build. Their support continues to be hugely appreciated.

The film set open day that we held right in the middle of filming proved just how much ‘Our Shining Sword’ has captured the imagination of the local populace. It was an amazing day and helped to raise much needed funds.

Another image from the teaser trailer.

The release of our first teaser trailer marks the start of the next big funding drive. We still need a further £15,000 to get ‘Our Shining Sword’ finished. The drive starts this week with the ‘Made In Sleaford Event’ being held by North Kesteven District Council tomorrow (Friday, October 9) and Saturday, October 10. We will be there screening some of our films and displaying props and costume.

The fundraising continues on November 8 with a 30-mile challenge with local councillor Kate Cook (see tweet). We will be jogging, walking, crawling through all of the 17 villages in her Osbournby ward to raise awareness and hopefully a few shillings towards getting the film finished.

For further fund raising news and updates continue to watch this space.